Law

Feelings About Renisha McBride…

By Pella
Renisha_McBride
The verdict for the Renisha McBride trial is in and Theodore Wafer, the man who shot McBride in the face on his porch in 2013 was found guilty of both Second Degree Murder and Manslaughter.
​According to the New York Times Wafer is facing up to life in prison.
First when I heard this I was excited. Then I was sad then I was scared. Here’s why:

Excited

The justice system worked. After the controversial trials of the men who killed Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis this is good news. For those of you unfamiliar with her story,

 ​ ​

McBride, after a car accident ended up on Wafer’s porch, asking for what one would assume is help. Wafer claimed he felt threatened so he opened his door (because dammit, those doors are good for nothing and won’t keep threats out *sarcasm*) anyways he “accidentally” discharged his weapon through his screen door right into McBride’s face. Hence the trial.

Here is a deeper look at the issues that lie within. ​

Sad

Lives have been destroyed by this ordeal. A young lady lost her life and now a man is likely to spend (some) time in jail.

Scared: That people will believe that this is somehow retribution for the fact that there is racial inequality within our justice system,” best said by Jeffery L. Edison in an interview with Jezebel, ​
​​

You can never minimize or avoid the impact of race in the criminal justice system. You deal with it as best you can but you can’t engage the process naively and think ‘Oh, race is no problem.” There is the fear that Wafer is going to be made the example, but then what?

Whatever the answer, I hope that McBride’s family can feel some sort of justice. Even though this will not bring her back, perhaps her little piece of history can change the future of someone else.

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